Colorado nonprofit loses supplies in storage unit fire

ARAPAHOE COUNTY, Colo. — A small, family-run nonprofit is asking for help after a storage unit holding many of its supplies was destroyed in a fire in Arapahoe County Sunday night.

The fire happened on South Parker Road near Belleview Avenue. South Metro Fire Department said multiple units were damaged including a space rented by Sio Power’s nonprofit, Trevor’s Animal Rescue.

 “We’re completely foster based, so we don’t have a shelter or anything,” Power explained.  

Power and his family run Trevor’s Animal Rescue, a small nonprofit based out of Parker that saves dogs and cats from euthanasia. The group fosters those pets until they find owners. 

All the supplies to do that work were inside their storage unit.

On July 14, just before 8:00 p.m., South Metro Fire crews were called to a Public Storage on South Parker Road.  Officials said the fire spread through the building’s attic space and got into 32 units. 

“My heart just kind of sunk because that’s a lot of our rescue, just completely destroyed,” Power said Tuesday afternoon. “After that we kind of just spiraled into chaos of, ‘what now?’”

Power has not been able to see the damage up close, but he told 9NEWS fire officials say the unit was destroyed. Inside of the unit were crates, leashes, collars, puppy playpens and cat towers – all items they give to those that foster the animals they rescue. Power said last month they saved 76 animals from euthanasia.

“You know, we’re so small that’s all of our supplies. We can’t pull more dogs and cats off of euthanasia lists until we know we have the supplies we can give to the fosters for them to take care of.”

Just as fast as fear set in, so did relief.  Community members quickly set up donation drop off locations to help replace the supplies the nonprofit never expected to lose.

“Yeah, I mean, this wasn’t on our bingo card for sure,” Power said with a laugh. “We have just been in awe from everyone that has come forth and helped us. We weren’t expecting this level of support.”

South Metro Fire told 9NEWS the fire marshal has closed this investigation with the official cause of the fire as “undetermined.”